Seating arrangement for restaurants or the like



July 14, 1942. H, A., BACKiUs 2,289,861

SEATING ARRANGEMENT FOR RESTAURANTS OR THE- LIKE Filed June 6, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l 3.9 2 2/ '503g @L1 -o/oo 1 00000 l July 14, 1942- H. A. BAcKus 2,289,861

SEATING ARRANGEMENT FQR vRESTAURANTS 0R THE' LIKE Filed June 6, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 9 INVENTOR.

Patented July 14, 1942 SEATING ARRANGEMENTFQR RESTAURANTS on THE LIKE Harry A. Backus, Fernbank,l Ohio Application June c, i940, serial No. 339,152

(Cl. v2li-1.6)

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a seating arrangement for restaurants, cafes, bars or th'e like, and is particularly directed to a counter and booth unit for facilitating service of food and drink in establishments generally known as quick lunch counters or sandwich shops.

An object of this invention is to combine counters and booths in a novel manner so that either may be accessible by a waiter, without the necessity of leaving a central service area, which is bounded by said booths and counter units.

Another object of the invention is to provide a convenient means for serving a booth, said means being also useful for serving counter custcmers as well.

A still further object of `the invention is to provide a means of increasing the seating capacity of establishments desiring counter and booth service whilst providing the additional function of equal accessibility to counter and booth. y

Another object of the invention is to provide a counter and booth unit which is compact and can, for certain arrangements, be partially assembled at the factory as standard equipment.

Other objects will be apparent from the following specification and drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my booth and counter unit in one form of various arrangements for restaurant use or the like.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the open end of the counter-booth arrangement shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the counter-booth unit shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line iiof Fig. 4, showing a detail of construction of th'e counter and booth connection.

Fig. 'l is Aa plan view of the counter-booth unit shown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 8 and 9 are plan views of various restaurant or bar-room arrangements comprising the counter-booth unit of my invention.

Figs. 10, ll and 12 are cross-sectional views similar to Fig. 5 showing modifications of the counter construction which may be used with the unit.

Generally my invention comprises the combialternately connected together and arranged in various ways todefine a central service area enclosed by :said'connected units and an outer customers side which is made inaccessible to the service side -by said `units. This combination of 'booth and -counter units creates a seating arrangement whereby a number of customers Vsit in positions facing each' other, and other customers sit yin positions facing the attendant in the service area, both groups of customers being equally accessi-ble'to `said attendant. It will therefore be understood that my seating arrangement divides a restaurant Vor the like into exclusive areas for attendants and customers, and further provides for the seating of vcustomers facing each other in groups, or groups of `customers facing the service area each being `equally accessible by the attendant so that quick and efficient service may be given to both groups of seated customers from the central `service area.

The preferred means of securing the aforemen.- tioned objects and functions as shown in the drawings consists of .an elongated central service `.area -20 (Figs. l and 7) which is substantially enclosed by a number of connected counters 2l and booths 22 which are alternately positioned and serve to divide the central service area 2li from the outer customers side, the latter consisting of all the area outside of the counters and booths from which a customer may have access to the seats disposed around the counters and to the benches of the booths. The central service area has an opening 23 at one end th'ereof which opens to the kitchen or other serving quarters of the restaurant.

The booths 22 consist of two spaced benches 24 with a table 25 positioned therebetween. The benches are elongated so as to conveniently seat at least two customers and are positioned transversely with respect to the central service area. A partition 26 is fastened to' the inner longitudinal side of the two spaced benches of the booths which is adjacent the central service area and serves to divide said area from the booths proper. As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the partition is of a height greater than the height of the table 25 but is not high enough to prevent access to said table by a waiter standing in the central service area. The inner edge of the table is supported by the partition, dowel pins 21 (Fig. 4) being employed as a means of fastening the table to th'e partition. The outer end of the table is supported by means of a leg 28.

The benches lare of the conventional type and .are provided with a horizontal portion 29 and a back 30 and supported by means of a base 3|.

The counter 2| is positioned longitudinally of the central service area 20 with its transverse ends 32 fastened to and partially supported by the backs 30 of benches 24. As most clearly indicated in Figs. 3 and 5, the counters have a horizontal shelf 33 which is supported by a vertical partition member 34, the lower end of which rests upon the iioor, the ends of said shelf and partition member being fastened to the backs of the booths by means of dowel pinned connections 35. The shelf has positioned thereon a ngitudinal barrier 36 which divides said shelf into a service side 3l and a customers side 38 (Fig. 5). The barrier extends upwardly from the shelf to a height preferably equal to that of the top of the benches 24, the height of said barrier being such as to permit access to the customers side of said shelf from the service side thereof. A row of stools 39 is positioned parallel to the outer edge of the shelf on the customers side. The stools are spaced from each other to conveniently accommodate customers using the shelf as a means for supporting food or drink.

It will be seen from Figs. 1 and 7 that the inner longitudinal edge of the counter is in alignment with the partition 26 of the booths so that the coniines of the area designated as the central service area are smooth and unbroken, while the shelf is of a width less than the transverse length of the booths thus permitting the stools to be positioned within a plane passing through the outer longitudinal sides of adjacent booths. This arrangement presents a compact booth and counter unit which takes up a minimum of space and is of such dimensions as to be easily installed in any number of restaurant set-ups.

Modifications of seating arrangements employing booths and counters according to my invention are shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the former gure illustrating a central service area in the form of an inverted U 4|! having an opening 4| which may communicate with kitchens of the restaurant, while Fig. 9 illustrates the central service area having three parallel extended portions 42 accessible by means of a connecting area 43, the latter area communicating with a kitchen by means of doors 44 or service shelf 45. This seating arrangement using counters 2| and booths 22 has a customers side 46 which is provided with outside walls 41 having windows 48 and doors 49.

Modifications of my counter are shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12, Fig. 10 showing a stool 50 positioned upon a platform 5| for restaurant use, while Figs- 11 and 12 illustrate a counter adapted for use in bars or the like. Fig. 11 shows a counter 52 having a vertical height equal to the height of the benches 53 and provided with a chair 54, bar equipment 55 being positioned adjacent the counter within the service area. Fig. 12 illustrates a bar counter 56 similar to the bar shown in Fig. 11, except that the stool 5l is positioned on a platform 58 adjacent the lower edge of the bar supporting partition 59.

I claim:

In a seating arrangement for restaurants having a separate service area and a separate customers area the combination of a plurality of booths, each positioned transversely upon the boundary of the service area and extending into and accessible by customers from the customers area and consisting of two spaced benches and a table therebetween, a partition fastened to the longitudinal side of the benches adjacent the service area and extending upwardly a distance slightly greater than the height of the table, and a plurality of counters, each positioned on said boundary and extending longitudinally of and adjacent the service area with its transverse extremities fastened to the backs of the benches of adjacent booths and having its inner edge in alignment with the partition to form with said partition an unbroken barrier between the said areas whereby the counters and tables are equally accessible from the service area for serving purposes, and said tables and counters are exclusively accessible by customers from the customers area.

HARRY A. BACKUS. 

